25 New York Mets (Peterson, D) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Luzardo)

EastFallowfield 2025-06-23 14:19:09 UTC #101

VoteForKalas 2025-06-23 15:16:20 UTC #102

He has been here since 2022 and gotten regular playing time for multiple stretches during those seasons. Each time, his production has declined with regular playing time, not improved or even stayed steady. He gets exposed at the plate and eventually needs to be replaced and put back on the bench.

Phillies see him every day and I've not seen any sign their conclusion he is best off the bench has changed this season. I know it is frustrating to see regular players struggle and believe there is a better option waiting in the wings, but I just do not see that as reality with Sosa unfortunately.

zambonir 2025-06-23 15:25:43 UTC #103

Sosa might be the only player on the team who is not disappointing at any time in any way. Accept him for what he already is, one of the best bench players in MLB! A good and versatile defender and a guy who gets hot and delivers big hits routinely enough that we dream on this while we pick apart the flaws of players who we see every day that actually are better than him. He's Tanner McKee (except nobody's complaining about the Eagles QB1 these days).

It's a luxury to have a guy who probably could be a starting SS or 400 AB player for a lesser team. It will also be a luxury if he only gets 200 ABs this year (because that will mean no major IF injuries like last year).

allentown 2025-06-23 15:37:21 UTC #104

I'm not sure why this should be a concern. He's been with the Phillies for at least parts of 4 seasons. He has never had less than a positive rWAR. He has amassed 746 plate appearances with us, a little more than a full season of hitting. In that time he has contributed 4.1 rWAR. That's good and tells he should play more. How many of our starters have put up over 3 WAR per season? Sosa is played until he hits a slump and then he sits. Very little respect compared to how management treats the other vets. Castellanos is allowed to start every game, unless he's mouthed off at our manager, but he has contribute only 1.9 WAR over 4+ seasons and 2206 PA, has played through very long slumps, and has less defensive flexibility than Sosa. They both hit LHP very well and should both start and PH against LHP, but Sosa is the more valuable of the two. If the opposing SP is left-handed, the Sosa should always be in the starting line-up. Conversely, he should be used sparingly against better-than-average RHP.
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zambonir 2025-06-23 15:44:12 UTC #105

He's more valuable because of his defense and position. But that doesn't mean he should play the OF, or even be a positive WAR player in the OF. His playing time has always come because of injuries (to Harper, to Bohm, to Turner), or because Bohm's defense was so bad and his offense so mid that Sosa felt like an upgrade. When none of those things are happening there's no playing time. He should probably be in the line-up over Buddy Kennedy on any given night but since they don't play Stott against LHP he already was. We could see Bohm at 1B and Sosa over Kemp or Kennedy at 3B again if Harper's not back soon (but sounds like he will be) but the the Phillies' interest in seeing what Kemp can do (both at the plate and as a LF) is much greater than their need to play Sosa more. Kennedy is probably gone when Harper is back, I don't see how you keep him over optioning Kemp.

VoteForKalas 2025-06-23 16:13:22 UTC #106

allentown:

I'm not sure why this should be a concern. He's been with the Phillies for at least parts of 4 seasons. He has never had less than a positive rWAR. He has amassed 746 plate appearances with us, a little more than a full season of hitting. In that time he has contributed 4.1 rWAR. That's good and tells he should play more. How many of our starters have put up over 3 WAR per season? Sosa is played until he hits a slump and then he sits. Very little respect compared to how management treats the other vets. Castellanos is allowed to start every game, unless he's mouthed off at our manager, but he has contribute only 1.9 WAR over 4+ seasons and 2206 PA, has played through very long slumps, and has less defensive flexibility than Sosa. They both hit LHP very well and should both start and PH against LHP, but Sosa is the more valuable of the two. If the opposing SP is left-handed, the Sosa should always be in the starting line-up. Conversely, he should be used sparingly against better-than-average RHP.

I'm probably the biggest Castellanos critic on here. I never would have signed him let alone kept him this long on the roster. However, when Harper got injured and could no longer play RF, Castellanos gave us an option.

Is it a great option? No, especially defensively he is bad with a dWAR of -6.1 during his time here in PHL. His oWAR during that time is 6.1 which has helped when he is hot, but not so much during his cold spells of chasing pitches and getting himself out. His oRAR is 65.

Sosa, during his time here, has posted a dWAR of 1.3 almost exclusively as a 2B, 3B or SS. That is how they see him, as an IF bench/defensive replacement/spot starter guy. His oWAR during that time is 3.7 and his oRAR is 38.

I have wanted a RF upgrade for Castellanos for several years and the best defensive OF lineup for us is Marsh, Rojas and Kepler, but we have multiple platoon guys, the Phillies like Nick's offense and his contract is a sunken cost they want to get something for in return. Castellanos is not a bench player, does not have the attitude or versatility for that role. Sosa has both and why the Phillies like him in that role.

I'm hoping that we will finally move Castellanos along after this season and find a real upgrade, but looking at the Phillies payroll and reported interest in bringing back both Schwarber & Realmuto, it likely is a pipe dream to land a Tucker or similar talent for RF. Sosa is not that guy.

Philsmania 2025-06-23 16:30:48 UTC #107

Agreed. He's a fine reserve player and should stay in that role. All too often, when a reserve player like him has a good year, fans get all excited and say "He should be starting instead of [insert player who is struggling or not having a good year]." I remember hearing it a lot early in 2008 with Chris Coste and Carlos Ruiz. But hey, I guess bench guys who succeed are easy to root for.

andyb 2025-06-23 16:41:37 UTC #108

Over 600 AB in the OF Sosa would probably be a negative WAR player. If he played that as SS or 2B he'd be positive, kind of like Stott but likely with lesser offense. There is no shame being a good player in a part time role. He is just probably more like a 650-675 OPS guy playing full time and if you move him to a position where his defense is not ideal any advantage disappears.

I feel a little sorry that Sosa has not gotten a shot at being a full time SS again. Frankly if he had lots of trade value from a team that wanted him in that role we should listen in the offseason. Until then, he is fine in his current role.

zambonir 2025-06-23 19:21:04 UTC #109

Yeah it is hardly a sure thing that the Phillies would want to him at $5-7 million (if that's the number, I guess as a bench player it might not jump the same way it would for a starter) next year, and he'd have some trade value (a bullpen piece or better-fitting bench guy).

But he would be an interesting 2 or 3-year extension candidate as a great bench piece and insurance policy especially since there are questions about everyone else. Bohm likely outta here as UFA if not sooner, Stott still not quite as good as they'd like at the plate, Miller still unknown factor and position, Turner theoretically a candidate to move positions (if only to people who don't run the Phillies).